Australian Gold Lunar Dragon 1 oz Series 1

Australian Gold Lunar Dragon 1 oz Series 1 – 2000

The 1 oz Australian Gold Lunar Dragon 1 oz Series 1 is the key coin in the Lunar Series because the dragon is considered a Chinese icon. The people of China revere the dragon and they grace Chinese clothing, collectibles of all types, and artifacts going back thousands of years.

Additionally, the Australian Gold Lunar Dragon 1 oz Series 1 was the first year of the “2000 series” of coins that will be minted for one thousand years. Some people mistakenly say that the year 2000 coins are the first of the 21st century, but actually year 2000 coins are the last coins of the 20th century. Regardless, being dated 2000 makes the Dragons unique coins.

The Australian Gold Lunar Dragon 1 oz Series 1 were the first coins in the Lunar Series to reach the production cap of 30,000, which means that they are available only in the secondary market. Gold Dragons carry a rather premium over the other one-ounce Lunar Series gold coins because of the popularity.

People born in the Year of the Dragon are healthy, energetic, excitable, short-tempered, and stubborn. Dragons are also honest, sensitive, brave, and they inspire confidence and trust.

Another reason for the Australian Gold Lunar Dragon 1 oz Series 1 popularity is that they are limited production coins. The 1-ounce Lunar Series gold coins are limited to 30,000 coins for each year and clearly have become collector favorites.

Another feature that makes this series so popular is that The Perth Mint can produce back-dated coins until the production cap is met. This means that the earlier coins are still available and can be purchased near bullion coin prices, permitting collectors who learn of the series late to acquire the earlier coins at bullion coin prices. The policy of minting coins from earlier years is unique to The Perth Mint and for only the Lunar Series coins.

By law, the Lunar Series coins have to display the image of Her Royal Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on the obverse. When the series started in 1996, the official likeness of the Queen was younger. In 1999, however, Buckingham Palace changed the official likeness to a mature Queen, which is carried forward into the Lunar II series. The change resulted in the first three years’ coins (1996, 1997, and 1998) having the image of the younger Queen Elizabeth and with the later coins having the mature image.